National Hsinchu University of Education

National Hsinchu University of Education (NHCUE)

National Hsinchu University of Education (NHCUE) was founded in April, 1940, renamed National Hsinchu Teachers College in 1987 and finally got the name of National Hsinchu University of Education in 2005.At present, the university comprises colleges of education, science, and liberal arts.

About NHCUE

Educational Purposes

• Be engaged in academic research and serve the country and society.
• Prepare teachers for elementary education, preschool education and special education.
• Cultivate various specialties for the cultural and educational field.

Educational Targets

• To extend the senses of cultural awareness, the dedicated devotions to the country and the society.
• To cultivate each individual as the whole person with mental and physical health.
• To provide comprehensive knowledge of humanities, arts and sciences.
• To equip with professionalism.
• To acaquire the creativity and capability of doing research.

Characteristics

• University with Characteristics of Culture and Education

This university has always been an important organization preparing teachers for elementary education, preschool education and special education in Taiwan. In recent years, with decreasing demand for teachers, training for teachers in this university gradually becomes more sophisticated. Continuing to maintain the leading position in teacher training, making the best use of them advantage in cultural education and art, this university shall be developed as a unique organization with a core of culture, art and education within the area of Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli.

• Fine Interaction with Community

Over 70% of teachers, directors, and principles of elementary schools within the area of Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli are alumni of the university. By communicating with alumni and schools of this counseling area actively, National Hsinchu University of Education provides services including guidance, speech, counseling, etc. and assists the development and growth of elementary education. In addition, the National Hsinchu University of Education makes efforts to cooperate with enterprises to provide community service such as cooperation with electronics foundation, long-term counseling for children of disadvantaged families in the Hsiang Shan area, music and art exhibition, teaching camp jointly held with Quanta Education Foundation, etc. Other community service includes regular children’s science camp, maths camp, art camp, swimming class, etc. NHCUE plans to add a homework school in elementary school and organizations providing more professional, convenient and safe education for residents of the community.

Information services

The Library and Computer & Network Center provides students with a rich data resource including written words, pictures and dynamic visual data in order to provide the students with powerful supports for future academic research and teaching.

Library

The Library was founded in 1964. The Director supervises four Section Chiefs to manage the development of the Library. In addition to the Chiefs of “Acquisition and Cataloging Section,” “Collections and Circulation Section,” ”Reference and Consulting Section,” and “Digital information Section,” a specialist and four contracted staffs are there for the Library Journal and additionally correlated business.

The obligation of the Library is to provide quality service to the faculty and students of the University. To fulfill the goal, the Library has joined several library consortiums and partaken in several library resource integration projects founded by MOE to increase the volume of books, periodicals, multimedia equipments and systems. Currently, the Library category is the most in quantity. After the reconstruction of the Library in 2004, the Audio-visual Educational Center was merged to the Digital Information Section of the Library. The space, the collection, as well as the facilities such as IOD and audio-visual equipment circulation service, have thus become more accessible for the readers.

The Library has constantly provided the service oriented from reader’s information need. It has dedicated itself not only as a passive information provider but also an active teaching and research supporter. The Library is vigorously engaging in digital content collection, resource and research in order to become a digital learning resources center. The current project is to develop a national-wide life-long-learning program for all the Chinese-speaking areas.

Computer and Network Center

The center was established in August 1985 to support computer teaching and related research as well as school affair computerization. The center was originally situated at Mathematics and Sciences Building, and then moved to the third floor at Extended Building. Since them school has been upgraded to be National Hsinchu University of Education from 1st Aug. 2005, the center is also renamed as “computer and Network Center”. Currently, there are five computer classrooms, a distance-learning classroom, and a workstation room in the Center. The hardware includes personal computers, serves, distance-learning equipment, and fiber network equipment. The Center is divided into three sections including Administration, Network, and Extension to support, to provide distance-learning facilities, and to support the information education and to research at local elementary and high schools.

In the construction of campus network, buildings are connected by high-speed optical fibers (1000 Mbps), and the speed of connection to TANet was raised from T1 (1.544Mbps) to Giga (1000Mbps) after the application of TANet-l1 has been approved. The center also provides network service for students living on campus. Student living off campus can also use modems to connect to the dial-up systems. Currently, 46 dedicated lines of 56 Kbps are provided.

The Center completed constructing the Student Affairs System in May 2003. The Application of student loan, scholarship, tuition waiver and dormitory management can be done through network as well. Furthermore, the center has finished the platform of e-learning to improve the teaching quality as well. To enhance the computer skills of all staffs, the Personnel Office regularly furnishes training programs offered by the Center. The course planning and instructions are also provided.

Departments and programs

Department of Education

The Department was established in August 1987. Then main goals of the department are to develop competent elementary school teachers, administrators, counselors as well as academic researchers. In 1993, The Institute of Compulsory Education begins with MA program, and Ph. D. program began on 2002. In 2004 the Institute rename into Institute of Education. In 2005, the Institute merges with the department, and the department has BE, MA, PhD courses. Besides the teachers, the department also aims at the cultivation for practitioners in private education enterprise and expert for learning technology. In addition to the basic courses to cultivating the basic skills, professional requirement for the students, there are other selective courses for their career development.

The BA curricula of the Department are divided into three categories, namely general education, professional education and selective courses. In 2007, the professional courses are divided into curriculum and teaching, learning technology, Those who want to be teachers can also choose learning technology as supplement major to be more competent as teachers.

After graduation, there are many choices for jobs and further education. Possible jobs for them are teaching post, educational administrators, teachers in after-school class, digital learning, editors of textbooks, and managers of private education enterprise. The graduate of the department also can go on for further study for MA in related areas in Taiwan or abroad.

Department of Early Childhood Education

Undergraduate Program

The Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) was founded in 1992, and aims at the preparation of early childhood professionals, including kindergarten and preschool teachers, administrators, researchers, developers of teaching materials, books and toys for young children, and practitioners in areas relevant to early childhood education. The ECE course structure has three modules: curriculum and instruction, child care and family, and art education. The course covers a broad range of issues, providing students with professional knowledge and training in all areas of early childhood education, including child development, curriculum and instruction, art education, special education and educational administration.

Master Program

The MA in Early Childhood Education founded in 1998 was the first MA program in ECE in Taiwan. The program focuses on issues relevant to the local culture of Taiwan as well as the international trend. It emphasizes the integration of theory and practices, encouraging students to reflect on their practice and address theory and research relevant to their interests.

The graduates, after awarded their master degree, have worked as university lectures, preschool directors and teachers, and developers of ECE related materials. A few of them have gone further for doctoral studies.

Department of Special Education

• Undergraduate Program

The Department of Special Education at NHCUE was established in August, 1993. The curricula are designed to provide the academic preparation necessary for special education administrators and teachers of exceptional children as well as students with disabilities. The emphasis is placed on education at both elementary and preschool levels.

• Graduate Program

Initiated in the year 2001, the graduate’s program of Special Education is dedicated to the Integration of resources form special education and rehabilitation.

The primary goals are to provide inter-disciplinary training necessary for special education practitioners and researchers, and to advance special education in this country. The curriculum and research themes are designed to reflect the need of local agenda with an emphasis on professional proficiency, diversified specialties, and the integration of theories and practices.

Occupation

Various career opportunities are available for the graduates of this program, including early-therapeutic institutions, pre-school children development centers, elementary schools, nursing institutions, and intermingled classes. The graduates can also work as developers of teaching materials, planners and managers of special education institutions, and research assistances.

Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling

The Department of Educational Psychology and counseling started with previous psychology and counseling division in the Department of Elementary Education in 1987. The master’s program of Educational Psychology and guidance was established in August 2001. Then it renamed to the Graduate Institute of Educational Psychology and Counseling in 2004. In 2005, the undergraduate program was approved to recruit its first students. A whole new department of Educational Psychology and Counseling was born. Every year the undergraduate program admits 40 students; the master’s program admits 20 students.

In addition, this department also offers an evening master’s program for in-service teachers and for workers in the relevant fields of psychology and counseling to pursue further education.

The objectives of the department are as follows:

• To train students to be educational psychologists or to be psychological counselors qualified to meet both the humanistic and the scientific standards of the modern era.

• To cultivate psychology counselors for elementary schools, communities, and industries.

Department of Physical Education

The Department of Physical Education was established in 1999. The purpose of the Department is to cultivate elementary school teachers, PE administrators, and recreation experts. In additions, the master's program of PE was founded in 2004, with the goal to cultivate highly qualified specialists in PE curriculum and teaching of elementary school, health and recreation instruction, PE administration, and exercise science for promoting the level of PE teaching and research.

The curriculum of the Department include the liberal arts, general courses, educational courses, and PE professional courses. The educational courses are offered to enrich the prospective physical educators with a comprehensive knowledge of education and PE teaching. The PE professional courses are given to promote the students’ professional knowledge for planning to their further education at the graduate level. Moreover, 3 practical training classes (PE administration, exercise instruction, and sport club) have been offered in order to increase students’ occupational competitive capability.

The future development of the Department will focus on not only the cultivation of health and PE teachers, but also exercise and health management specialists. The accomplishment of PE health building is the mid-term goal to fulfill the conversion of the Department. Students completing the bachelor degree of PE not only engage in teaching but also take the tests for civil service or graduate schools, including PE graduate institutions of Normal university, and other teachers colleges or colleges with related graduate institutes. In addition, they are also encouraged to pursue their higher academic degree abroad. Academic cooperation with higher education institutions overseas has been concerned about by the Department to enhance the friendships with foreign countries and promote academic quality.

Graduate Institute of Human Resource Development

This Institute was established in 2000, with the goal of developing students the expertise in research and human resources, which enables them to become professionals and take leadership in education field and institutions of social education, and business administration.

The GIHRD courses, focusing on the area of human resources development, include required courses, basic elective courses and core elective courses. Students will acquire abilities in theory and practice after completing the well-designed curriculum and teaching. The Graduate Institute of Human Resource Development organizes seminars regularly, inviting well-known business managers to share their invaluable experiences, engaging students in bridging the theoretical and practical discrepancy. Furthermore, in order to increase the breadth and depth of academic research, GIHRD also holds academic symposium in various topics. All of the above aim to benefit the faculty, students and professionals in the fields of business, academic, and research. GIHRD emphasizes the integration of theory, empirical research and practices.

The graduates of the master program have promising future and flexible career development. They could plan their career in diverse directions, including being a researcher, working in the industry or being a Public Official and Teachers.

Graduate Institute of e-Learning Technology

To meet the demand of the e-learning age, National Hsinchu University of Education set up the Graduate Institute of e-learning Technology in 2005 to cultivate e-learning specialists such as e-Instructional Designers, e-Instructional Developers and e-Trainers.

The purpose of them graduate institute is to cultivate e-learning specialists. It aims at providing (a) researchers in the e-learning fields, (b) the skills and knowledge in learning, (c) the technological teaching strategies and attitudes, and (d) the technical tools necessary for e-learning. In order to promote e-learning innovation in teaching and training fields, the institute hopes to provide professional training for various fields of people.

The practicality-oriented program is designed to meet the requirements of e-learning working fields. In addition to the practical phase courses, courses in diverse topics are set up to enhance students’ knowledge in putting theory into practice in e-learning. The purpose of the program is to inspire students’ awareness of the innovation of e-learning and to cultivate the ability of promoting e-learning.

Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources

The Department was originally established in 1987 with the name of the Department of Social Studies Education. The main purpose of the Department is to develop the pre-service teachers in the domain of Social Studies in elementary schools. In August 2001, the Master Program of the Department was set up.

In August 2005, the Master Program of Social Studies was also established to provide the in-service teachers of Social Studies in elementary schools with the channel of advanced studying. To cope with the impacts of the multiplication of teachers’ cultivation and the declining birthrate, the Hsinchu teachers’ College was restructured, in 2005, to the Hsinchu University of Education. The Department was also changed to the Department of Regional Humanities and Societies to positively engage in its reformation. With the approval of the Ministry of Education, on August 1st, 2009, the Department will be renamed as the Department of Environmental and Cultural Resources to closely coordinate the demand of social and national development.

Based on itself characteristic tradition and the social demands, the Department presently focuses its development on the areas of environment and cultural resources.

In accordance with the trend of sustainable development of environmental resources, the Department emphasizes, from the viewpoint of humanities, the exploration of the relation between the environment and the humanities. Besides, the Department also tries to apply flexibly the cultural resources and to integrate the theories and the research methods of related disciplines in humanities in order to develop an effective way for the community research.

Therefore, in the undergraduate study, the Department places its emphasis both on theories and the practice and adopts the method of interdisciplinary learning to cultivate the talented persons of environmental management and cultural development with the view of humanities and place consciousness. As regard to the graduate study, it advances the undergraduate study and takes “recreation management” and “community empowerment” as the development direction of the program.

Department of Chinese Language and Literature Studies

The goal of the Department is to prepare students as language teachers, researchers, editors, writers, and employees in language related fields. It provides students with theoretical and practical courses in language, literature and pedagogy.

For the future development of the Department, the emphasis will be put on modernizing Chinese language, teaching Chinese dialects, and strengthening the master program.

The courses in this Department are basically divided into four categories：classics, linguistics, literature and language teaching. These courses cover comprehensively classical and modern literature, linguistics, and language methodology. In addition, the courses in becoming a certified elementary school teacher are offered. Students can be well trained to become competent elementary school teachers or to continue advanced studies. Students who graduate from this department are expected to be equipped with best knowledge and to be trained professionally as elementary school teachers.

Graduates from this department can choose to be elementary school teachers, continue graduate studies, or enter the workforce in relevant fields.

Department of English Instruction

Established in the 2007 academic year, the Department intends to cultivate the correlative talents on English Education Industry. It exists to develop the versatile curriculum to help students meet the potential career demands on EFL institutions.

The 20-credit-hour fundamental courses aim to strengthen the basic ability on English listening, speaking, reading, and writing of the students, along with another 20-credit-hour core courses exist to help student gain knowledge in TESOL methodologies as well as to apply the theory into practice. Graduates can engage in publishers of developing English Teaching materials, bilingual curriculum design or bilingual schools management, language translation, information and communication business, travel business, and administrators in diplomacy or foreign affairs. The courses also prepare those who want to advance their study overseas or within this country.

Department of Music

Since its founding in 1992 by Prof. Young Chao-cheng, a famous tenor and music educator, the Department of Music has aimed at cultivating professional music teachers with performing, researching and educating competencies. This department recruits its instructors from home and abroad to provide the performers and educationalists and to diversify music education in Taiwan.

There are 120 students in the bachelor’s program, and 75 students in the graduate programs. Students graduating from their undergraduate and graduate programs are basically professional music teachers for elementary schools. They can also engage in community music promotion work, such as orchestra performing, private teaching, and music business managing. Or, having experienced extraordinary training and valuable performance opportunities as students, further studies overseas is a reachable development for them students.

Department of Arts and Design & The Master's Program of Arts Education and Creation, Arts and Design

The department of Arts and Design was first established in 1970 providing Bachelor and three Master programs. Within Bachelor degree, they also divide into two groups of Creation and Design. For Master degree, there are the program of Arts Education and Creation and other two In-service programs provided at night and summer time individually.

The goals of Bachelor degree are as follows: to cultivate students for being an artist or a designer, to teach students to explore more about traditional arts and design, to help students specialize in arts & design and arts education, and to increase students interest in creation, arts appreciation, and arts instruction.

The Master program was established in 2000 to provide advanced studies for arts & design and art education in theoretical and creative fields as well. The final goal is to improve and promote the quality of research of arts & design and arts education in Taiwan.

The faculty members in this department include those specializing in both eastern and western art and design. They have excellent facilities within three main buildings, including a 3D product design studio, and more than 30 classrooms for Chinese painting, drawing, water color, oil painting, graphic design, wood work, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, metal work and glass.

The students of arts and design department have frequently won excellent awards from several national wide arts competitions. The Student Association not only built a creative artistic atmosphere on campus but also in public by holding exhibitions and activities. They have developed excellent interactions with the communities.

Graduate Institute of Taiwan Languages and Language Education

Founded in 1997, the institute is a leading educator in Taiwan languages and language education, and now it has a MA program and a Ph. D. program. The Institute specializes in research on the languages spoken in Taiwan and on the language education issues concerned in Taiwan. In the past eight years, their efforts in academic research, teaching and social service related to Taiwan languages have been widely recognized.

Students for the MA program in the Institute are required to take 32 credits (besides a thesis for Master degree). This program is further divided into 3 groups, Southern Min, Hakka, and Austronesia languages. Students for the Ph. D. program are required to take 24 credits (besides a Ph. D. dissertation).

Department of Applied Mathematics

In this department the courses are divided into four fields: pure mathematics, applied mathematics, mathematics education and computer science. In addition to that, there are also some other programs to improve student special abilities and make them be able to do academic research and applied technology, so the courses are designed to include many aspects to make students know more different knowledge. The aim of the master program of the department is to prepare students to be highly qualified professionals in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and mathematics education , the courses are divided into, mathematics(including the areas of pure mathematics, applied mathematics) and mathematical education.

Department of Applied Science

For reacting to the national educational policies and societal expectations, the Department of Applied Science was changed from Department of Science Education in Aug.1st, 2005.

The undergraduate program divided into two divisions, life science and nano-science, both aiming to foster scientific researcher and industrial＆business technician. The master program has three sub-fields: life science, nano-science and science education, The aim of the program is to cultivate the students with highly qualified research professionals in life science, nano-science, or science education.

Graduate Institute of Computer Science

The Institute started its admission in 2006 school year, with the following specifications:

• Students are to be trained up in research development and with problem-solving abilities, emphasizing in both theory and practice.
• Professional faculties and a complete set of instrument are in the Institute to help students learn and become independent researchers.
• Students are to do independent researches or cross-area studies. The Institute would like students to broaden their eyesight and enhance their competitiveness

There are three different specializations in the programs: Networks, Databases, and multimedia.

The Institute has a number of independent laboratories and will integrate independent researches and cross-area researches, including

• Artificial Intelligence and Database Laboratory: distributed database, machine learning and data mining systems are provided for the students.
• Electronic Commerce and Network Safety Laboratory: local area network (LAN) experimental environment, information safety and e-commerce research instrument are available in the laboratory.
• Virtual Reality and Image Processing Laboratory: virtual reality and 3D modelling design tools, image processing and pattern recognition software are provided for students.

Graduate Institute of Mathematics and Science Education

The Graduate Institute of Mathematics and Science trains graduate students in both the actual practice of mathematics and science education, and research into mathematics and science education. There are two program areas: mathematics education, and science education.

The Affiliated Experimental Elementary School

The school was founded in April, 1940, under the name of “Primary School Affiliated to Hsinchu Teachers’ school.” Due to several times of system change, the school was renamed as “Elementary School, National Hsinchu University of Education” on August 1st, 2005.

There are two campuses of the school respectively located on Sihwei Road and Jiangong Road. On Sihwei Campus, 28 classes of elementary level from grade one to six including 4 art-gifted classes, and 6 class of kindergarten are there. Another campus featuring “joint education.” That recruits general and exceptional children together, is situated on Jiangong Road. On Jiangong Campus, there are 6 classes of elementary level and 3 classes of pre-school. Up to date, 1186 students and 101 faculty and staff members comprise the whole school.

The obligation and cooperation of the school affiliated to the University are:

• To provide university faculty and students instruction practices, including visit, observation, practice, and interning.

• To provide university professors research trials, including interview, observation, and the action research.

The objective of the school is to foster healthy and happy children. In addition, we also emphasize on the development of sound character, democratic values, legitimate senses, humanitarian ideals and creative ability. Currently, the school actively materializes the “Grade 1-9 Curriculum” involving “TESOL,” “Information and Computer Education,” as well as “International Perspectives” to enrich them pupil’s cultivation. “Elementary School, National Hsinchu University of Education” eventually has become a school distinguished with good reputation and high quality in Hsinchu City.

External links

• The Affiliated Experimental Elementary School
• National Hsinchu University of Education (Chinese (Taiwan))
• National Hsinchu University of Education (English)